Page 34 of One Little Kiss
“You should have watched it at home,” Halton mumbles.
Anger and sadness fill my chest. “I don’t like watching the games by myself, and you two assholes were too busy.”
“We have responsibilities, Colton. Families that depend on us. We can’t just drop everything to have a fucking beer with you when you’re feeling lonely.” Preston turns to Halt. “I’m so done with the Peter Pan bullshit.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I growl.
“It means you need to grow the fuck up. You may have just ruined the opportunity that would allow Halton and East to run a branch of The WB the way they want to. That fucks up their plans, Colt. Do you even give a shit about anyone but yourself these days?”
I admit, I’ve been a little more carefree lately, but what does he expect? Every person I know and love is in a committed relationship that doesn’t always include me.
“You know I do, Preston. None of this makes sense. I swear to you I wasn’t drinking last night.”
“So what? You’re telling me they drugged you?”
I hadn’t thought about it, but now that he’s said it, I think he’s on to something.
“Yes, actually. I think I might have been. You don’t black out from root beer,” I snarl.
My oldest brother narrows his eyes like he’s contemplating his next move. Then he rakes a hand through his hair, spins in place, and lands a punch into the drywall next to the door.
“Get dressed. Emory will take a blood sample, but you’ve left me with no choice here, Colt. I have to put you on administrative leave, effective immediately. The media has already surrounded your building. Those girls gave a statement from your sofa, saying you forced them here, and until we can prove otherwise, you need to get out of town. Someone has already hired them an attorney and there’s talk of a lawsuit. The chopper will be here in an hour, and Ash is expecting you. I’m sure the gossip columns will track you to Vermont, but no one is getting past Ashton’s security. You’re on lockdown until we can sort this shit out.”
“But I didn’t fucking do anything, Preston.”
His expression softens but doesn’t lessen the blow. “You put yourself in this position, Colt. Maybe not intentionally, but you know that you need to be aware of your surroundings as well as we do. We’ve literally been taught to watch out for those that will try to take us down since we were kids. You’ve racked up quite the reputation over the last few months. Now my hands are tied. It’s my job to keep our ship afloat, and as CEO, the only option is to suspend you. As your brother, it’s the last thing I want to do. As the CEO, it’s my only choice.”
“So … what? You want me to go into hiding like I’m guilty?”
“I’ll have Ash pull security footage from The Loft and start interviewing anyone that was there last night, but until we have concrete evidence, yes. You’re to stay out of sight. We cannot handle another scandal right now, Colt. This will devastate Mom, too, so we need to get you out of here before she shows up.”
I cringe, knowing she’s probably just seen pictures of me naked as the day I was born. But the only thing that matters to me right now is that my brothers believe me. I may be the fuck up as of late, but I love them and this family with all that I am.
“Fine,” I agree. “But I need to know something first.” I wait until two sets of eyes, so similar to my own, find their way to me. Darting between them, I ask a question I both need and fear the answer to. “Do you believe me?”
Preston and Halt share a look that hits like a lead weight to my gut.
“Yeah, Colty. We believe you,” Halton says softly. “But you make it really fucking hard sometimes.”
* * *
The helicopter lands on the roof of my building, and I push forward against the wind that’s trying to force me back. Climbing into the cockpit, I see Tony, our pilot, with a grim expression, but it’s Halton that speaks.
“You’re on administrative leave, Colt. This is a company chopper.”
Realization hits like a punch to the nuts. I’m not insured by The WB right now. Cursing, I climb into the back and buckle in with Halton to my right.
Ashton and I got our pilot licenses over the last year and a half. It’s been our way of bonding, I guess. I fly into Boston, though I won’t admit that I’m spending way too much time aimlessly searching for Wendalyn-no-last-name, then head to Vermont, where we use a private company to get our hours in.
How the fuck did I not get her last name?The question eats away at me every damn day. Is the memory of her going to mess with my head for the rest of my life?
Blowing out a harsh breath, I close my eyes. Ems took a blood sample and flushed me with fluids, but I still feel shaky.
“Ash said it’s a goddamn zoo at the gate.” His voice is tinny through the headphones.
“Great.”
Luckily, Ash had insisted on a security gate at the entrance to the private road leading to all our homes.
